pinion angle?
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Topic author - I sleep in my van
- Posts: 589
- Joined: Wed Oct 13, 2010 2:07 pm
- Location: Barrington NH
pinion angle?
anyone know how to backyard adjust rear axle pinion angle?
Recently bought a 1989 Astro RS from Florida. Replaced stock engine witha 1997 5.7 vortec with TBI and replaced transmission with rebuilt 700R4 with mild shift kit.
Bought on Monday the 16th of April 2012
Bought on Monday the 16th of April 2012
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- I have my van tatooed on my cheeks
- Posts: 4379
- Joined: Sat Sep 09, 2006 3:35 pm
- Location: New Haven, NY
Re: pinion angle?
Being a stock axle in a stock application, there should be no need to adjust it. Make sure the rubber cushions are in correctly or just remove them like I always did. Other than that, locate some pinion shims locally or online and do it that way. The only other way is to cut the spring perches off and re-weld them.
Current rides:
2013 Toyota Tundra DC 4x4
2008 Dodge Nitro 4x4
2005 Nissan Sentra 1.8S Special Edition
Mileage spreadsheet
Vans owned:
1986 Safari 2.5L 4 speed manual - scrapped
1995 Astro 2WD conversion 4.11 posi, shift kit, DHC rock rails - sold to Skippy
1998 Astro 4x4 D44, D60, NP231, full hydraulic system with 9k# Milemarker winch and snow plow - sold to Lockdoc
2003 Astro AWD all stock - traded for a 3/4 ton truck
2005 AWD, 4.10's - sold to skippy
2013 Toyota Tundra DC 4x4
2008 Dodge Nitro 4x4
2005 Nissan Sentra 1.8S Special Edition
Mileage spreadsheet
Vans owned:
1986 Safari 2.5L 4 speed manual - scrapped
1995 Astro 2WD conversion 4.11 posi, shift kit, DHC rock rails - sold to Skippy
1998 Astro 4x4 D44, D60, NP231, full hydraulic system with 9k# Milemarker winch and snow plow - sold to Lockdoc
2003 Astro AWD all stock - traded for a 3/4 ton truck
2005 AWD, 4.10's - sold to skippy
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Topic author - I sleep in my van
- Posts: 589
- Joined: Wed Oct 13, 2010 2:07 pm
- Location: Barrington NH
Re: pinion angle?
ok thank you
Recently bought a 1989 Astro RS from Florida. Replaced stock engine witha 1997 5.7 vortec with TBI and replaced transmission with rebuilt 700R4 with mild shift kit.
Bought on Monday the 16th of April 2012
Bought on Monday the 16th of April 2012
Re: pinion angle?
I don't remember the range of degrees to set the rear end with shims.Could you post it please.LiftedAWDAstro wrote:Being a stock axle in a stock application, there should be no need to adjust it. Make sure the rubber cushions are in correctly or just remove them like I always did. Other than that, locate some pinion shims locally or online and do it that way. The only other way is to cut the spring perches off and re-weld them.
Mark once you know that,it is just a matter of using a magnetic angle finder.
The thing that I don't understand is as long as you put back what was there,the angle should not have changed.My question would be is did you lose any of the needle bearings from the rear u-joint cap??.Honestly Mark,it's not that hard to do that and I would think all of us has done that by mistake a time or two. #-o
1979 Malibu drag race only car
1999 Sonoma 4.3 5 speed-Rufus
1989 Astro-Ole Yellar cancelled-still selling off parts
1985 Astro-shop van R.I.P. my friend
1994 Astro LT RWD W4.3 rod knock RIP
1982 Winnebago single rear wheel-Chevy 350 Scraped 1/28/13-broken dreams......
Rochester,NY
1999 Sonoma 4.3 5 speed-Rufus
1989 Astro-Ole Yellar cancelled-still selling off parts
1985 Astro-shop van R.I.P. my friend
1994 Astro LT RWD W4.3 rod knock RIP
1982 Winnebago single rear wheel-Chevy 350 Scraped 1/28/13-broken dreams......
Rochester,NY
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- I have my van tatooed on my cheeks
- Posts: 4379
- Joined: Sat Sep 09, 2006 3:35 pm
- Location: New Haven, NY
Re: pinion angle?
The angle of the pinion has to be within 0.5 degrees of the transmission output or you will get vibrations. I agree with Gary (is that bad?
) that you may have a u-joint issues and not a pinion angle issue. Many of us here have swapped axles between vans and no one has ever had pinion angle issues from this.
Some good reading here.

Some good reading here.
Current rides:
2013 Toyota Tundra DC 4x4
2008 Dodge Nitro 4x4
2005 Nissan Sentra 1.8S Special Edition
Mileage spreadsheet
Vans owned:
1986 Safari 2.5L 4 speed manual - scrapped
1995 Astro 2WD conversion 4.11 posi, shift kit, DHC rock rails - sold to Skippy
1998 Astro 4x4 D44, D60, NP231, full hydraulic system with 9k# Milemarker winch and snow plow - sold to Lockdoc
2003 Astro AWD all stock - traded for a 3/4 ton truck
2005 AWD, 4.10's - sold to skippy
2013 Toyota Tundra DC 4x4
2008 Dodge Nitro 4x4
2005 Nissan Sentra 1.8S Special Edition
Mileage spreadsheet
Vans owned:
1986 Safari 2.5L 4 speed manual - scrapped
1995 Astro 2WD conversion 4.11 posi, shift kit, DHC rock rails - sold to Skippy
1998 Astro 4x4 D44, D60, NP231, full hydraulic system with 9k# Milemarker winch and snow plow - sold to Lockdoc
2003 Astro AWD all stock - traded for a 3/4 ton truck
2005 AWD, 4.10's - sold to skippy
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Topic author - I sleep in my van
- Posts: 589
- Joined: Wed Oct 13, 2010 2:07 pm
- Location: Barrington NH
Re: pinion angle?
Ok well since I do not own an angle finder nor do I know anyone that does. I guess since I never had this noise before I swapped the rear ends I will just have to do the trial and error thing. But thanks for the help either way.
Recently bought a 1989 Astro RS from Florida. Replaced stock engine witha 1997 5.7 vortec with TBI and replaced transmission with rebuilt 700R4 with mild shift kit.
Bought on Monday the 16th of April 2012
Bought on Monday the 16th of April 2012
-
Topic author - I sleep in my van
- Posts: 589
- Joined: Wed Oct 13, 2010 2:07 pm
- Location: Barrington NH
Re: pinion angle?
I have no idea on that but I do have a spare driveshaft I can swap into it.
Recently bought a 1989 Astro RS from Florida. Replaced stock engine witha 1997 5.7 vortec with TBI and replaced transmission with rebuilt 700R4 with mild shift kit.
Bought on Monday the 16th of April 2012
Bought on Monday the 16th of April 2012